New Music – Leave The Light On

While most would jump to the Beyhive, a representation of these soulful elements and diversity shines through on Solange’s new record When I Get Home. She is by no means an underground artist or one that lurks in the shadows, but her new release is a murky translation of sampling, back catalogues of artist features that go uncredited on track titles, and a progressive feel toward this fusion of a genreless record.

The comfortable factor of When I Get Home stays consistently throughout and never raises an eyebrow on artistic approach. It stays a steady flow of introverted sounds that draw back a curtain with “Things I Imagined”. When I Get Home becomes more repetitive than her previous releases as phrases or patterns of vocal notes are struck over and over again to create what would appear almost as a human synthetic loop station.

However, where Solange is able to draw in the listener is in the way that her production surrounds her voice and punches it through as the staple feature of the album. When I Get Home rides through as an album that has a vivid sensibility of materializing a frequent movement within time as the record bounces from track to track in nearly seamless fashion. Solange is simply a treat even at moments where the record is lacking a serious direction both musically and vocally.

When I Get Home never loses itself entirely, however, this is more of a jam record that will occasionally feature Gucci Mane, Playboi Carti, or even New York’s Standing On The Corner who is well known for their work with Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE. A truly adaptable bunch that supports Solange and creates enough ground to cover the 19 total tracks. When I Get Home is impressive even as within the 39-minute run time, Solange can hold this indirect viewpoint toward the record. When I Get Home feels scattered but able, sporadic but understood.

The importance comes from being able to manage and spin all the ideas into one giant web, where past releases held a quick track that was interlaced with one to two R&B tracks injected in-between. When I Get Home is a majority of love-making grinds that feature very little to do with upbeat dancing. The change is welcome as Solange can rely heavily on this repetition that makes her more of an instrument and doing less of the crowd work.

Forget what was previously thought about Solange, When I Get Home is a newer installment of what feels more lo-fi influenced and more hip-hop centered on ways of creating live samples. When I Get Home may create a lasting discussion for the moment, but her legacy will shine through later after the lights have gone dim.